Expo Go for quick start in React Native

Introduction

Expo Go lets you see your React Native app on your phone instantly without complicated setup.

You want to try React Native without installing Android Studio or Xcode.

You want to share your app preview with friends or teammates quickly.

You want to test your app on a real device during development.

You want to avoid building and installing app files every time you make a change.

Syntax

React Native

1. Create a new project: npx create-expo-app MyApp
2. Start the project: cd MyApp && npx expo start
3. Open Expo Go app on your phone
4. Scan the QR code shown in the terminal or browser

Note: Your phone and computer must be on the same Wi-Fi network.

Note: Expo Go app is free and available on iOS App Store and Google Play.

Examples

This creates a new Expo project and starts the development server.

React Native

npx create-expo-app MyFirstApp
cd MyFirstApp
npx expo start

Starts Expo with a tunnel connection to work even if your phone is on a different network.

React Native

npx expo start --tunnel

Sample App

This simple app shows a centered greeting text on a light gray background. You can see it instantly on your phone using Expo Go.

React Native

import React from 'react';
import { Text, View, StyleSheet } from 'react-native';

export default function App() {
  return (
    <View style={styles.container}>
      <Text style={styles.text}>Hello from Expo Go!</Text>
    </View>
  );
}

const styles = StyleSheet.create({
  container: {
    flex: 1,
    justifyContent: 'center',
    alignItems: 'center',
    backgroundColor: '#f0f0f0'
  },
  text: {
    fontSize: 24,
    color: '#333'
  }
});

Important Notes

Expo Go supports many React Native APIs out of the box, so you don't need extra setup for common features.

If you want to use native code or custom libraries, you will need to eject from Expo later.

Use the QR code scanner inside Expo Go to quickly load your app without typing URLs.

Summary

Expo Go lets you run React Native apps instantly on your phone.

It requires no complex setup or building steps.

Use it to speed up development and share your app easily.